Disappearing gun for submarines



T. MCC. GUNN.' DISAPPEABING GUN FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I2. |916.

Patented May nulli-immun.

THOVIAS MCCHEYNE GUNN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSICGNOR-TO ELECTRIC BOAT CYO'iv'lI` PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DISAPEARING GUN FOR SUBLVIARINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1 ,Y

patented Mays, i921.

j Application filed September 12,1916. Serial No. 119,640.

To all whom it may conce/m:

Be it known that l, THOMAS MCCHEYNE GUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of NewYork, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and` useful Improvements in Disappearing Guns for Submarines; and vl do hereby declare lthe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as lwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

rThis invention relates to auxiliary armament for submariiietorpedo boat-s.

The provision of auxiliary armament in the form of emplaced ordnance of moderate caliber on a submarine is generally recogni'zed as desirable, but themounting of such ordnance heretofore carried is open to va rious objections.

For most effective operation the guns are preferably mounted on the superstructure deck, but when the boat Vis ruiming submerged the eiteriorly carried gun materially reduces the speed and when the boat is on the surface and the gun is not in actual use it takes up valuableY space whichmight be put toother use. Moreover, the gun itself is large enough to be discernible for a considerable distance, so that the boat'must be submerged sufficiently to cover the gun to be inconspicuous. thus lengthening the time required for effective submergence upon sighting a hostile craft.

The exposure of the exteriorly mounted gun to the action of the water 'when submerged and to the weather when von the surface is also objectionable becauseV it shortens the useful life of the gun and necessitates overhauling the gun after comingrr to the surface before the gun can be used.

' The mounting of thegun within the hull of the vessel is not desirable for the reason that the space occupied in the interior of the boat cannot be spared and also because of the difficult problem of taking care of the recoil while maintaining the compartment water-tight. Also the gun can be used much more effectively from a position on deck.

The present invention has for its object the mounting of a suitable piece of ordnance Vas vat present preferred,

on a submarine boat in such manner that the above mentioned objectionable features are entirely obviated, and to that end the gun is mounted so as to lie when not in use in'the space between the superstructure andthe top of the hull, the gun carriage being provided with suitable means preferably operable from within the hull for raising the gun above the level o f the deck whenit lis to be used. Since, customarily, the superstructure is self-filling and self-hailing, the

superstructure above the space within which the gun lies when not in operation need merely bev cut away by a permanently open hatch, or a hatch-cover may be used in order to provide floor area'on deck. Y Y

The present invention also provides a movable sheathing device or protective jacket coveringl the gun barrel, the sighting,

recoil, elevating and training mechanisms,

etc., so that the parts will not be subjected to the action of the water during awash or submergedrunning.y The jacket is always located within the superstructure spaceV and is so mounted and connected with an operatin shifted to inoperative position, the jacket may be quickly shifted to create a watertight compartment within which are inclosed the vparts to be protected. f

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the invention Figure lshows in side elevation and in full and dotted lines the gun and its jacket in their different positions of adjustment.

Fig. 2 shows in full lines an enlarged View of certain of the parts whichare disclosed inFig. l; Y

Fig. 3 is a rearelevation ofthe parts shown in Fig. 2; and. Y

Fig. 4 is -an end elevation of the jacket,

lookin@ forward or in the direction of thel arrowl of Fig. l.

In this drawing, the reference numerals 3 and represent respectively'portions of the hull and superstructure-deck asV these parts would be disclosed were thesubmarine divided by a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal center line ofthe boat.

controller that after the gun has been sok Deck 4f is provided with an elongated hatch 5, associated with which is a cover 6, suitably hinged at 66 to the edge of the hatch, which cover, when the Vgun 7 is adjusted below the superstructure deck may constitute a spray-tight closure for the hatch.

A depending bracket 8, constituting Va pivotal support for the gun-standard 9, is attached to the under side of the deck 4L. Fixedly attached to standard 9 is a gear segment 10 meshing with which is pinion 11, loosely mounted on a stub-shaft 11 supported in a hanger attached to the under side of the deck. Pinion 11 fixedly carriesV a miter gear 12 meshing with a similar gear 13 ixedly carried by a vertical shaft 14:, the lower end-portion of which extends through a suitably packed bearing in the hull `wall V3 into the interior of the submarine and has ixedly mounted thereon an operating handwheel 15.

The standard 9 carries an offsetlug 9 to coperate with a suitably Y anchored stopi piece 16, so that when the hand-wheel 15 is operated to elevate the standard the lug will engage the stop when ,the standard is in substantially vertical position as shown in broken lines.r The standard carries at its outer end a table 92 on which is centrally supported a large O'ear 17 turning on a stud 17. The gear 17 1s rotated by means of a pinion 18 fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 18', passing through the table and provided on its lower end with a direction handwheel 19. y

Fixedly mounted on the outer face of the gear 17 is a bifurcated standard 19 providing journals for the trunnions 20 carried by the gun barrel. One of the trunnions is prolonged and carries at its outer end beyond the standard an elevating handwheel 21. Y

Hatch-cover 6 is constructed so that it may be raised, when the gun standard Vis elevated, by the mere pressure of the table 92 against the cover. The hinges 66 will probably be of the spring typehand hold the i cover normally in a closedposltion so that, as the gun standard is subsequently lowered an automatic closing of the hatch cover will be assured.

After hand-wheel 15 is turned to dispose standard 9 vertically, elevating hand-wheel 21 is turned to locate gun 7 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 to prepare the gun for aiming. During such aiming,jtheY gun is trained by turning the direction handywheel 19 and is elevated by turning the elevating hand-wheel 21. ElevatingV handwheel 21 is also used to arrange the gun vertically when the gun standard is to be lowered. Immediately thereafter handwheel 15 is operated from the interior of thesubmarine to dispose the gun-standardY and the gun as shown in full lines in Fio. 1.

located within the superstructure space is a substantially cylindrical protecting` jacket 23 of a size and shape to cover all parts of the gun above the table top. This jacket is movable lengthwise of the boat along tracks 24 to take `up either the fullline or the broken-line locations thereof indicated in Fig. 1. The jacket carries a fixed rack 25 which meshes with a pinion 26 fiXedly mounted upon the upper end of a short vertical shaft suitably mounted in the wall 3 of the hullgand on the lower end of which within the hull, is secured a handwheel 27.

When the hand-wheel 27 is operated, the jacket moves lengthwise of the tracks 24,

Ythe jacket being preferably supported on suitable guides 24 provided with projections which engage grooves in the tracks to prevent the jacket from being lifted off the tracks. vThe jacket is closed at its outer end, and its end adjacent the gun is open and provided with an annular rubber gasket 23.

The upper surface of the table 92 is provided as shown in Fig. 2 with an annular rib 22, and the gasket, when the hand-wheel 27 has been operated to move the jacket 23 toward the table, bears tight against rib 22 and thus said jacket makes a water-tight envelop for the gun barrel and such delicate sighting, recoil, elevating and training devices as are located above the table top. Jacket 23, which is so positioned while the gun is normally in its inoperative position, is quickly shifted forward preparatory to an actuation of hand-wheel 15 to bring the gun and standard from concealment.

It will of vcourse be understood that the various hand-wheels and the parts worked thereby are not essentialto the invention and that the other mechanisms for effecting the desired movements maybe used. As shown, the hand-wheel 19, the gear segment 10 and thel pinionsV 11, 12 and 13 are not sheathed by jacket 23V when the jacket is moved aft, but these parts are, of course, very rugged and will not suffer any damage as the result of being exposed to water currents within the superstructure. In practically all cases, even where submergence becomes suddenly necessary while the gun is on deck, ample time' will be afforded the boats crew to adjust the gun to its concealed position and cover it with the jacket 23, before submergence proceeds far enough to flood the jacket. But even should the gun in some special case be left exposed until submergence is completed, the hand-wheels 15 and 27 Vmay be operated from the interior of the hull to lower the gun on its standard into the superstructure space and then shift the jacket to envelop the gun, provided that before submergence the hand-wheel 21 has lbeen turned fto arrange the gun vertically.

`The gun will then be protected at least from the effectvof damaging water-currents,

or Va connection with .Aa flexible air pipe may standard movably mounted kin the superstructure beneath the' opening, said gun standard comprising a platform on which .said gun is mounted. for-rotation in a horizontal plane when said gun standard is elevated, means for adjusting said gun standard and said gun into and out of said opening, and a cover for said gun adjustable into and out of engagement with said platform to form therewith a water-tight covering for the gun.

2. In a submarine boat, a superstructure having an opening in the top thereof, a gun standard movably mounted in the superstructure beneath the opening, said gun standard comprising a platform on which said gun is mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane when said gun standard is elevated, means for adjusting said gun standard and said gun into and out of said opening, a cover for said gun adjustable into and out of engagement with said platform to form therewith a water-tight covering for the gun, and means -operatable from within the hull for adjusting said cover and 'said gun standard.

3. In a submarine boat, in combination, a

compartment provided with an opening in its top, a gun and means for aiming the gun emplaced in the compartment, means for moving the gun to protrude its muzzle through the opening for bringing the gun into position for use, a movable gun-sheathing device located between the superstructure and the hull, and means operable from within the hull for moving the gun-sheathing device to sheath the gun and for moving said device away from the gun to permit the gun-muzzle to be protruded through the opening.

4l. In a submarine boat, in combination, a compartment provided with an opening in its top, a pivotally supported gun mount empla'ced in the compartment, a gun onthe mount, means for moving the mount to be concealed within the compartment and for,

moving the mount to protrude through the opening, means for arranging the axis of the gun substantially vertical when the standard is protruding through the o ening whereby when the standard is move to be concealed within the compartment the gun is moved to lie substantially horizontal for concealment within the compartment, a gunsheathing device mounted for horizontal movement, and means operable from within the hull for moving the device to envelop the gun Vwhen it is arranged horizontally within the compartment.

5. In a submarineV boat provided with. a superstructure having an opening in its top,

the combination of a gun-standard movablyfv mounted below the superstructure and normally concealed within the superstructure space, a gun adjustably mounted on the standard, means operable from within the hull for moving the gun-standard to protrude the gun-muzzle through the opening, a

gun-sheathing device located within the superstructure space, and means operable from without the superstructure space for ESQ moving the gun-sheathing device toward and p away from the gun.

' 6. In a submarine boat provided with a superstructure having an opening in its top, the combination of a gun-,standard movably mounted below the superstructure, a gun adj ustably mounted on the standard, means'operable from-Within the hullfor shiftingthe gun-standard to project the gun through said opening, a'gun-sheathing devicelocated within the superstructure space, and means operable from within the hull for moving the gun-sheathing device toward and away from the gun.

7. In a submarine boat, in combination, a gun, a cavity for containing and concealing the gun, means for exposing the gun, aiming adjuncts permanently carried by the gun, a gun-sheathing means, and means operable from without the cavity for arranging the sheathing means to inclose the gun and the adjuncts in a water-tight envelop when the gun is concealed in the cavity. Y

8. In a submarine boat, in combination, a deck, a compartment below the deck and open to the sea and provided with an elongated opening in the deck, a spray-tight cover for the opening, a gun-standard pivotally mounted in the compartment and adjustable to protrude from the compartment or to lie within the compartment, ya gun pivotally mounted on the standard for movement to a position in prolongation of theY standard from its pivot and a water-tight movable to envelop the gun when the standard is concealed and the gun is arranged in prolongation of the standard. Y

9. Ina submarine'boat, in combination, a gun, a cavity for containing and concealing the gun, a mount carrying the gun and movable to protrude the gun-muzzle from the cavity, and a gun-sheathing means movable in the cavity to inclose the gun in a watertight envelop when the gun is concealed in the cavity.

l0. Inra submarine boat, in combination, a gun, a cavity for containing and concealing the gun, a mount carrying the gun and movable to protrude the gun-muzzle from the cavity, anda gun-sheathing means movable in the cavity to cooperate `With the mount to inclose the gun in a Water-tight envelop when the gun is concealed in the cavity.

11. In a submarine boat, in combination, a gun, a cavity for containing and concealing the gun, a mount carrying the gun and movable to protrude the gun-muzzle from the cavity, a gun-sheathing means movable in the cavity to inclose the gun ina Water-tight envelop when the gun is concealed in vthe cavity, and means operable from Without the cavity for moving the gun-sheathing means.

12. In a submarine boat, in combination, a gun, a cavity for containing and concealing Vthe gun, a mount carrying the gun and movable to protrude the gun-muzzle from the cavity, a gain-sheathing means movable in the cavity to inclose the gun in a Water-tight envelop when the gun is concealed in the cavity, and means operable from the hull interior for moving the gun-sheathing means.

13. In a submarine boat, Jrhe combination of a compartment providedwith an opening in its top, a normally-closed cover for said opening having a spring-hinge connectionr -with the vedge thereof, a gun and gun-mount Vmentto expose the gun and to Withdraw` t-hem through said opening intosaid compartment for concealment therein, said cover being engaged and gradually pushed upward and outward by thev 'gun mount during the movement of the latter into exposed position, and gradually swinging inwardly and downwardly,into closed position under the influence of its spring connection as the gun moves into its position of concealment.

111-; In a submarine boat,fa superstructure lia-ving an opening in its top, a cover for said opening hinged to the edge thereof, a gun and gun-standard comprising a platform on which said gun is mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane'when the standard is elevated, means for shifting said gun and standard into and out of said opening, `said platform being adapted to press against said cover andswing it into open position during the elevation of said standard, and a sheath for. said gun disposed in said superstructure and adjustable into and out of Water-tight engagement with said platform.

In testimony whereof I afiX my signature.

THOMAS MCCHEYNE GUNN. 

